


Happy birthday to me

by providing_leverage



Series: Short stuff [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec isn't actually in this, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Birthday, Gen, He's a kid, Hurt No Comfort, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, whoops it's sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-03
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2021-01-21 11:01:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21298364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/providing_leverage/pseuds/providing_leverage
Summary: Then he blinks, and it's all gone. His mother is downstairs and hasn't sung in months, and the necklace he made her was tossed in the trash before she could see it, because papa thought it was a piece of junk.There's no crowd of loving people, or cake. Just Magnus, cold and alone in his room with a sandwich, singing to himself.
Relationships: pre Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Short stuff [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477400
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	Happy birthday to me

**Author's Note:**

> Alternate universe where on your eighth birthday you get the initials of your soulmates name on your wrist

Magnus carefully slid his socked feet along the hardwood floor. He'd figured out a few days ago that if he didn't lift his feet, it made a lot less noise. 

Still, he holds his breath as he makes his way past his parents room. The door is open, and there's two lumps under the covers. There's a particularly squeaky part of the floor right near their door that has got him caught more than once. But this time he avoids it.

It's not far past there to the kitchen. Magnus hoists himself up onto the counter and quietly opens the cabinet door, looking for the peanut butter. It's on a lower shelf this time, so he doesn't have to reach up very far.

In quick, practiced movements he makes himself a sandwich. His stomach rumbles at the smell, and he's tempted to make two, just this once. 

It is a special occasion, after all. 

But that's risky. And Magnus really doesn't want his papa to know he's been sneaking food he doesn't deserve. 

A flash of guilt racks his body for a moment. Good boys don't disobey their papas, and don't make their Mama's upset. If Magnus were a good boy he would have been given diner, not driven to stealing.

But in the end, his stomach's plea for food overpowers that guilt, like it normally does. 

Magnus screws the lid back on the peanut butter and returns it to the cabinet, and the break to the counter where it goes. He licks up the peanut butter that remains on the knife before rinsing it in the sink and putting it in the drawer.

He grabs his sandwich and is about to return to his room when he has an idea. 

They're in one of the lower cabinets, so he doesn't even have to do any climbing. He just... opens the door. And they're sitting right there, next to a box of sprinkles that are probably expired by now.

This cabinet hasn't been opened in a long time, since mama got sick and started spending less time in the kitchen and more time in bed. Since last year, probably on this very day. 

He takes the little red box before he can talk himself out of it. Then he retraces his soft steps pit of the kitchen, down the hall, past his parents room, up the stairs. Magnus doesn't relax until he reaches his own room.

There, put his sandwich down on one of his little plastic toy plates. It's his favorite of the let his mama got him a few years ago for Christmas, because it's the only one of five that he's managed not to break.

His stomach rumbles again, impatient. Magnus ignores it, opening up the little red box.

There's six candles inside, two less than how old he is now. But it's six more than he'd thought he'd get. It's a bit messy, getting them to stay upright in his sandwich. They were, after all, intended for cake. And he doesn't have a lighter, not that he could use one. 

But Magnus has a good imagination. Always has. So he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. 

When he opens them again, there's a tall cake in front of him. It's blue and pink and purple, his favorite colors. There's eight burning candles on top.

In his mind, there's a crowd of people around him. His mama puts a hand on his shoulder and smiles. She's wearing her favorite dress and the macaroni necklace Magnus made her last week. She opens her mouth and begins to sing in that beautiful voice of hers.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Magnus, happy birthday to you."

Then he blinks, and it's all gone. His mother is downstairs and hasn't sung in months, and the necklace he made her was tossed in the trash before she could see it, because papa thought it was a piece of junk. 

There's no crowd of loving people, or cake. Just Magnus, cold and alone in his room with a sandwich, singing to himself.

He puts the candles back in their box, shoves them under his bed, and eats quickly. Once the food is gone, he puts the plate back and climbs into bed. Before he clicks off his flashlight, his sleeve rolls upma tiny bit and he sees it.

The reason he'd even realized it was his eighth birthday. He'd woken up this morning to find the two black letters inscribed on his wrist and bounded downstairs to show his mama. 

He had expected her to be happy. After all, getting your soulmate mark was supposed to be a good thing. That's what his teacher and other kids at school had told Magnus anyway. 

But the sight of it had just made her upset, which had made papa mad. Hence his banishment to the upstairs for the day and ban on food. 

Blinking tears from his eyes, Magnus pulls his sleeve back down to hide the initials of the person who was supposedly going to be the love of his life.

**AL ** could wait. For now, he just wanted to sleep. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Happy birthday to me! Sorry everything is sad!


End file.
